District 65 Educators’ Council President Jean Luft reaffirmed teachers union support of Illinois Senate Bill 7 Monday afternoon, the same day it was assigned to the state House’s elementary and secondary education committee.

The education reform legislation aims to base tenure decisions on instructor performance and prevent seniority-related layoffs, among other internal processes. It cleared the state Senate unanimously April 15.

Luft, who oversees the Illinois Education Association’s Evanston branch, described the bill as a much-needed stride in teacher evaluation methods.

“I do believe it will be a healthy reform,” she said. “We’re very happy with it.”

She specified that the teachers union is especially satisfied with a legislative component that rewards exceptional teachers with early tenure. Well-performing teachers who garner excellency ratings in their first three years would be offered tenure before other instructors, according to the bill’s current language.

But Luft said her proudest point is legislators’ civility in crafting a statute that addresses “many problems from across the state.”

“They’re not fighting or at odds like in Indiana and Wisconsin,” she said. “They’re working together to put up a historic reform bill.”

A District 202 spokesperson said Evanston Township High School Superintendent Eric Witherspoon had “no position” on the pending legislation as of Monday evening. District 65 Communications Director Patricia Markham declined to comment Monday as well.